Marvel, Netflix sign deal to bring Daredevil, Power Man, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, and the Defenders to the small screen

Disney's Marvel division has signed a deal with Netflix to bring Daredevil (I liked the Affleck film, what of it?), Luke Cage (Power Man), Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, and the Defenders to the streaming video service starting in 2015. Each character will get their own show, and then in Marvel Cinematic style, the Defenders will team them all together. Alan Fine, President of Marvel Entertainment:

This deal is unparalleled in its scope and size, and reinforces our commitment to deliver Marvel's brand, content and characters across all platforms of storytelling. Netflix offers an incredible platform for the kind of rich storytelling that is Marvel’s specialty. This serialised epic expands the narrative possibilities of on-demand television and gives fans the flexibility to immerse themselves how and when they want in what’s sure to be a thrilling and engaging adventure.

Calling this group the Defenders is a bit weird. Classically the Defenders were Hulk, Dr. Strange, Namor the Sub Mariner, and Silver Surfer, if memory serves. The lineup has varied wildly over the years, but I can't recall Daredevil, Power Man, or Iron Fist ever playing a huge part in the Defenders. Maybe Marvel figures Heroes for Hire didn't have enough of an Avengers-style ring to it? Either way, I'd rather good than accurate, so hopefully this will be good. (Agents of SHIELD, the first Marvel series currently airing on ABC got off to a rocky start, quality-wise, though recent episodes have been an improvement.)

Also, hopefully this opens the door for a phase 2-style expansion as well, since the "Marvel Knights" line is filled with interesting stories to tell, including Moon Knight, Ronin, Cloak & Dagger, Colleen Wing, Misty Night, and more. Hey, I'd even love to see Power Pack brought to Netflix. Because.

Anyone else trying to hit fast forward to 2015? Watching all this on our iPhone 6S, iPad Helium, and iWatches is going to be excelsior-mazing, right?

Disney’s Marvel and Netflix Join Forces to Develop Historic Four Series Epic plus a Miniseries Event Based on Renowned Marvel Characters

Landmark Deal Brings Marvel’s Flawed Heroes of Hell’s Kitchen, led by “Daredevil”, to the World’s Leading Internet TV Network in 2015

Burbank, Calif. – November 7, 2013 – The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) and Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) today announced an unprecedented deal for Marvel TV to bring multiple original series of live-action adventures of four of Marvel’s most popular characters exclusively to the world’s leading internet TV Network beginning in 2015. This pioneering agreement calls for Marvel to develop four serialised programmes leading to a miniseries programming event.

Led by a series focused on “Daredevil” followed by “Jessica Jones”, “Iron Fist” and “Luke Cage”, the epic will unfold over multiple years of original programming, taking Netflix members deep into the gritty world of heroes and villains of Hell’s Kitchen, New York. Netflix has committed to a minimum of four, thirteen-episode series and a culminating Marvel’s “The Defenders” mini-series event that reimagines a dream team of self-sacrificing, heroic characters.

Produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Television Studios, this groundbreaking deal is Marvel’s most ambitious foray yet into live-action TV storytelling.

“This deal is unparalleled in its scope and size, and reinforces our commitment to deliver Marvel's brand, content and characters across all platforms of storytelling. Netflix offers an incredible platform for the kind of rich storytelling that is Marvel’s specialty,” said Alan Fine, President of Marvel Entertainment. “This serialised epic expands the narrative possibilities of on-demand television and gives fans the flexibility to immerse themselves how and when they want in what’s sure to be a thrilling and engaging adventure.”

“Marvel’s movies, such as ‘Iron Man’ and Marvel’s ‘The Avengers’, are huge favourites on our service around the world. Like Disney, Marvel is a known and loved brand that travels,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. “With ‘House of Cards’ and our other original series, we have pioneered new approaches to storytelling and to global distribution and we’re thrilled to be working with Disney and Marvel to take our brand of television to new levels with a creative project of this magnitude.”

This new original TV deal follows last year’s landmark film distribution deal through which, beginning with 2016 theatrically released feature films, Netflix will be the exclusive U.S. subscription television service for first-run, live-action and animated movies from the Walt Disney Studios, including titles from Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Disneynature and Lucasfilm. Netflix members can currently enjoy a wide range of Disney, ABC TV and Disney Channel films and shows across the 41 countries where Netflix operates.

Reader comments

Marvel, Netflix sign deal to bring Daredevil, Power Man, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, and the Defenders to the small screen

Why not call them Heroes for Hire? That was an interesting concept that could work for the show. Oh well, I'm glad to see second and third tier heroes that wouldn't get movies being used for tv shows. I'll be interested in seeing how this all works out.

I'm fairly certain a Power Pack tv show could be the greatest thing I didn't know I wanted.
And this is really exciting. The characters, though popular, are arguably B list in comparison to what ends up on the movie screen. I love the "lesser touted" Marvel lines and cannot wait. Netflix, you've locked me in for another couple years!

I have 2cents for Green Lantern and Hulk's first movies: They were origin stories. Sometimes they are not as action-oriented as you want but they want to bring you into who the heroes are. And Pilots for shows are that also: Origin stories. I never review a show based on its pilot or a game based on the demo. They will always be a little different, so give them time. I hope that Agent Hill has more screen time in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. If you watch Disney XD Spidey teams up with: PowerMan, NOVA, White Tiger, Iron Fist. Maybe Netflix will have something with Howard the Duck who was mentioned in an episode of Ultimate Spiderman.

Cool hope it works out, we need more theatre movies, I'm a big fan of the Marvel and DC animated stuff, Disney XD is pretty good Avengers Assemble is great and HULK Agents of SMASH is ok, but it's all good, let's see more.